Inevitable
by Stormborn Dragneel
Summary: They were basically already a couple and either just don't know it or are in denial about it. It takes a push from Fairy Tail to get them together. [Oneshot][Complete] [NaLu] [Some NaLi but not really, no Lisanna bashing!]


So I posted this a few weeks ago but deleted it because I hada bad experience with a reviewer. I mostly write in the Game of Thrones and Naruto fandoms but all I read is NaLu so I wrote this cute shot for my husband because he likes NaLu too but because I had a bad experience with the NaLu fans I deleted it, I've continued to write NaLu stories but haven't posted them because of it. My husband pushed me to put it back up because he likes it so much.

If I get some good reviews and feedback on this I will put up all of my other saved up NaLu stories

/

So I really don't think Natsu is stupid, He's pretty clever actually in how he always tricks Lucy into stuff but being raised by a dragon, I do think he is little inexperienced with human interaction.

/

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail

Rating: T just in case

Pairing: NaLu with some GaLe and hints of NaLi and Bickslow and Lisanna (what in the world is their couple name?)

Timeline: Let's say after the Grand Magic Games and the Celestial Spirit rebellion but there's no spoilers

Status: Complete

/

Lucy couldn't help but feel terrible for the way she had been acting. Resenting Lisanna, the sweet takeover mage with the silver pixie cut. It made her feel like a terrible person, ever since she returned from Edolas with them, she had become like a little sister to Lucy, everyone in the guild really.

She wasn't even sure exactly why she felt that way. It had all started with Lisanna coming up to Team Natsu after a mission, all adorable and shy, a blush on her pretty pale face, she had asked to talk to Natsu outside.

Natsu had asked her why she was being all weird, loud enough for the whole guild to hear but had still followed her outside.

It was pretty obvious what Natsu's childhood friend was planning. They had already seen Lisanna in a wedding dress during the Grand Magic Games approach Natsu, bringing up playing house as kids.

Lisanna was confessing to Natsu!

After the two had made it outside, the whole guild has turned to look at her.

"What?!" She yelled over her milkshake, she was tired of everyone thinking she and Natsu were a couple. Men and women were capable of being friends despite what everyone thought.

"She's moving in on your man, bunny girl!" yelled Gajeel from his spot with Shadow Gear, pouring himself another glass of metal flake vodka.

"Yoooouuuuu like himmmmmmm!" Happy crooned, making kissy noises at Lucy as he circled her head.

"No I don't, you shitty cat!" Lucy swatted at the bratty Exceed.

"We're JUST friends!" Lucy growled, making sure to fix the entire guild with her best Erza impression.

Everyone promptly looked away from her as Natsu made his way back in with a smile.

Lucy could almost hear a collective inhale from the guild, as if everyone couldn't wait to hear what had gone down. It was sure to be juicy gossip to tell their guild mates out on missions when they returned.

"So what happened, flame-for-brains?" Grey asked.

"Well she asked if she could be my female friend, what a weirdo right? Duh, we've always been friends! So I told her yes of course and then she offered to take me out to dinner, on her, I couldn't turn that sort of offer!"

The entire guild sighed, Natsu had no idea he now had a girlfriend.

"Yay! Free dinner!" Happy yelled,

"Sorry little buddy! She said just us two!" Natsu patted the blue Exceed's head, "You'll have to do something else tonight."

"Ah Lucy you'll have to make me dinner tonight," Happy whined to Lucy, "Fish please!"

"Fine, " Lucy sighed.

"Did she say female friend or girlfriend?' Grey asked.

"Girlfriend," Natsu replied, taking a seat next to Lucy, "Why?"

"Of my god, you're dumb, it means a special friend! As in you have a girlfriend, dumb ass."

"You want to go popsicle stripper?!" Natsu stood growling at his teammate, "I'm all fired up!"

"Sit down, Natsu and listen," Erza glared and the fire dragon slayer quickly sat back down, "A girlfriend is different than a regular friend, that's why she wants to go out alone, it's a date, she'll also probably want to hold your hand and you'll have to buy her presents and flowers and chocolates."

The whole team stared as Erza went all googly eyed, thinking about having a boyfriend.

"Oh so how Lucy goes on dates with dumb guys, Lisanna wants to do that with me?" Natsu asked.

"Yes!" yelled the whole guild.

/

And that was how Natsu got a girlfriend. The entire guild was shocked that Natsu hadn't done something dumb or destructive to piss off Lisanna yet, most figured it was because she didn't really have a temper like Lucy but they were still surprised nonetheless.

They had been dating for a few weeks and Lisanna had even been coming on missions with them.

They had just finished their current mission and were going to ride the train back to Magnolia now that they had the jewels to spare. The five mages and Exceed took their seats, Grey, Erza and Happy on one side and Natsu, Lucy and Lisanna on the other. Natsu's motion sickness kicked in right as the train started.

"Lushy, pleeeaaaase, rub my head, I'm dying," Natsu grumbled, laying his head in Lucy's lap, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Lucy yelled, kicking Natsu off of her lap and to the floor, "Lay in Lisanna's lap!"

Lucy gave Lisanna an apologetic look. Lisanna nodded her thanks as she helped the dragon slayer off of the floor and pulled his head into her lap, playing with his vibrant hair.

Natsu promptly passed out but occasionally mumbled, "It's not as good, it's not working, I'm dying."

Everyone choose not to acknowledge that, they all found different things to occupy them.

Lucy cringed, this was way too awkward it was practically painful.

Lucy had been relieved at first, that Lisanna was taking up some her best friend's time. She had gotten a good chunk of her novel written and managed to keep her apartment rather clean, even if Happy was at her apartment all the time now while Lisanna and Natsu were on dates. But she had the strange feeling that she was losing her best friend. She knew it was silly because Natsu still acted the same as always, very protective of Lucy and still way overly familiar with her. Lucy always tried to push him off now when before she could be bullied into letting Natsu do whatever he wanted. But now he needed to learn some boundaries, didn't he see the sad looks Lisanna gave them? It wasn't appropriate! They were best friends but the line had definitely been blurred a bit before but it was time for Lucy to draw it!

She wasn't a home wrecker! Lisanna had been his childhood sweetheart even if Natsu didn't quite know it. And Lisanna was her friend! Maybe not as close to her as Levy but they were still good friends!

She split from the group as soon as they made it back to the guild hall, they all wanted to stay for a drink but she was just too tired to stay.

She made her way home as fast as she could, it was winter and as always she wasn't dressed for the cold. This winter was worst than the last, maybe it was because of how close she had been to Natsu last winter, the dragon slayer airways seemed to radiate body heat.

Her landlady caught her at her door, accosting Lucy for her rent. Lucy sighed, handing over her reward money, her rent may be paid but now she didn't have any grocery money. She would have made more if they hadn't split it with Lisanna and Natsu hadn't destroyed a copper mine while slaying the creatures terrorizing the miners.

Thankfully, Virgo had been able to redig all of their tunnels with ease but they had had to reimburse the mining company for the lost profits for the day.

Now with her rent paid, she was still broke. All she had to eat in her apartment was instant ramen, oatmeal and yogurt cups. Yum. She was definitely on the struggle diet, now.

Splitting money six ways now plus the damage Natsu, Erza and Grey always caused would make things really hard on her. But if she was being honest, it was just way too awkward

Maybe she could join Shadow Gear sometimes? Levy was her female best friend and Gajeel wasn't too bad once you got used to him. They would probably love to have her. And as far as she knew they never lost their rewards.

Lucy drew herself a scalding bath, sinking into the water with a sigh.

She knew Natsu wouldn't understand, he would be angry even but she had to do it.

Lucy stayed in her bath until the water turned cold and dried off. Putting on her warmest pajamas, a fleece set with small dragons on them that Levy had gotten her for her birthday as a joke. She didn't have any jewel for firewood, making her apartment freezing, thankfully she had plenty of warm blankets to snuggle into. She wrapped herself into a Lucy burrito and quickly fell asleep.

/

Lucy woke up way too warm. Peeking an eye open, she saw that it was still dark outside her window and that all of her blankets were in a crumpled mess on the floor.

Why was she so warm?

A sizzling hot hand snaked under her pajamas and onto her bare stomach.

"Ahhhh!" Lucy screamed, throwing Natsu out of her bed by his arm.

"Aw Luce, what the hell!?" Natsu grumbled, rubbing his arm.

"You can't just sneak into my bed, you idiot!" Lucy screeched, standing in her bed, she threw all of her pillows at him and one by one he dodged them all.

"You always say that but then you always give up on arguing with me," Natsu gave her a cute and sleepy smile, "I like your pajamas, Luce."

Lucy narrowed her eyes, she wasn't falling for that crap, "Natsu, you really can't sleep in my bed anymore. Seriously? You have a girlfriend now. Think of what Lisanna would say! I'm not the type of girl to break up a relationship!"

"Lisanna? She wouldn't care! What're you freaking out about?" Natsu looked momentarily confused before hopping on top of her bed with her, fixing her with a serious look.

Lucy shivered under the intense look in his dark hazel eyes. Lucy stared up at him.

He was looking at her lips!

Lucy's heart thundered in her chest.

What was going on?

Natsu leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. They were surprisingly soft and oh so warm.

Lucy nearly lost herself in the kiss but quickly recovered herself, "What're you thinking?!"

Lucy screamed, shoving Natsu away, making him tumble to the floor.

This wasn't like Natsu! What was going through the dragon slayer's mind? Was he trying to ruin their friendship?

Lucy couldn't help herself, tears started to roll down her face. She sat down on her bed and put her head in her hands.

"Aw crap, I'm really sorry, Luce," Natsu say on the floor in front of her, looking up at her, "Lisanna does that to quiet me down and you were all yelling so I thought it would work."

Now Lucy cut Natsu a lot of slack because he was raised by a dragon. Igneel obviously didn't know the dating etiquette of humans so she didn't really blame Natsu on his lack of knowledge and after that he spent most of his time training and hanging out with a flying cat, he was obviously out of touch with what normal people their age were doing, she had been much the same way what with her father sheltering her and all, most of her interaction before joining Fairy Tail had been with servants and random suitors that were ten years older than her that her father chose for business-related reasons. And even still most of what she knew was from crappy dates and racy romance novels that she and Levy loved.

Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "So you thought because Lisanna kisses you to shut you up that you could try the same on me?"

Natsu shrugged but at least had the dignity to look guilty. So he did know it was wrong!

"Natsu, I know you don't understand dating stuff but what you just did could be considered cheating, it was disloyal to Lisanna, she's an amazing girl and she deserves better than to be treated like that," Lucy tried to convey just how serious she was with her eyes, "Lisanna is your girlfriend, not me, you can't put your head in my lap or sneak into my apartment or sleep in my bed and cuddle with me. You have a girlfriend now, you have to do those things with her."

"But I don't want to do those things with Lisanna, I would rather do them with you," Natsu whined.

"Uhm, what are you saying?" Lucy asked in a whisper, her heart began to pound in her chest.

"This whole girlfriend thing," He waved his hand in front of him, the picture of nonchalance, as if what he was saying the most obvious thing, "I would rather do that with you. I'll tell her in the morning."

"What?! You can't mean that!" Lucy squeaked, oddly happy that he preferred get over all others but guilt quickly replaced the happiness within her, she wasn't that kind of girl, "But Lisanna has loved you since you were kids! You can't just leave her for me!"

"Yeah, she's life a little sister to me, I don't want to lay next to her in bed or rest my head in her lap, that's what you're for, you're my best friend," Natsu grabbed Lucy's hands and fixed her with the most intense, loving stare she had ever seen. Lucy's heart sank, this was all her fault, she secretly loved all the attention Natsu always showed her but at risk of ruining their friendship and partnership, she had never admitted how she felt or put a label on what they were together.

"Normal best friends don't do that," Lucy shook her head and stood up, dropping Natsu's hands, "This is all my fault, letting you do those kinds of things for so long, we would have had to do this eventually, when I got a boyfriend we would have had to draw this line too so please don't think I'm mad or punishing you or something, I'm trying to be a grown up here. I'm sorry but you need to go home, Natsu. And, and-"

"What?" Natsu frowned, she could see that he was shaking.

"I think I'm going to join a different team for awhile, I'll still be your best friend and go on missions together sometimes but a little distance would probably be for the best," Lucy sighed, turning away from him.

So fast she couldn't see him, Natsu stood and turned her to face him, his face stricken as he gripped her shoulders tight, she had only seen him that sad once before, when her future self had died, "Lucy, noooooo, please."

Lucy shook herself from his grip, "I can't let you hurt Lisanna like this, she's too much of a good person."

Lucy walked to her front door, knowing Natsu would follow, she opened the door and held it open for him.

"I'm sorry, please don't do this," Natsu pleaded.

"It's for the best, Natsu, I'm sorry," Lucy managed to whisper, she was starting to get choked up and was near tears once again.

Natsu gave her one last sad look before going out the door.

Lucy closed it gently behind him and sighed.

She had done it, she had finally set some boundaries between them. It had been the responsible and adult thing to do.

But why did she feel like she had kicked a puppy?

Tears started running down her face as she made her way back to bed, now freezing without Natsu in it, she grabbed her cold blankets off of the floor and shivered and cried herself back to sleep.

/

The next morning Natsu sat at a table in the guild with Happy and Lisanna, eating the breakfast Mirajane had made them. Usually he loved food, especially when it was free but his usually delicious breakfast tasted like dirt in his mouth.

His chest felt heavy as he watched Lucy come in and approach Levy, Gajel, Jet and Droy. Natsu's superior hearing allowed him to hear Lucy ask if she could join Shadow Gear, the four welcomed her and they soon left on a mission.

"Natsu, are you okay?" Lisanna asked from besides him, he looked at her sweet face.

"No, I made Lucy really mad, I think I ruined our friendship," Natsu dropped his fork and sat back.

Lisanna nodded in understanding, " Look Natsu, what do you think of me? Honestly."

"You're very sweet and kind, my childhood best friend," Lisanna smiled at his answer.

"And what do you think about Lucy?"

Natsu looked down, his face pensive.

"She's so weird and talks so much. She's so strong but still feels this desperate need to prove herself, like me she always wants to improve. We have the same sense of humor, even if she likes to act like I'm being annoying, I can always tell she secretly thinks whatever I'm doing is funny. She's such a giver, she let's Happy and I into her house to eat her food and steal her bed. She understand how important nakama is. Everytime she's around I just feel better, I can't explain it." Natsu sighed, he looked back up at Lisanna. A large, sincere smile was on her face but her eyes were glistening on unfallen tears.

"Natsu, I want to break up," she smiled.

"What?!" Natsu asked, shocked, could his week get any worse? Natsu stood.

"I'm not the girl for you, Natsu, I think we're better off as friends," Lisanna stood up too and hugged him, "No hard feelings okay? Let's go back to the way it was before. When Lucy gets back, I'll talk to her."

Too shocked to speak, Natsu could only nod and Lisanna walked away to join her sister at the bar.

/

Lucy made her back home from the train station, the mission has gone off without a hitch and they had even gotten their full reward. She had even got her own hotel room when they had stayed night! Jet and Droy had shared a room and so had Gajeel and Levy! No sharing with Erza or a certain dragon slayer sneaking into their room and her bed. Lucy tried to ignore how cold the hotel bed was or how lovely she felt in a room by herself. Except for Gajeel and Levy's endless flirting and bantering, which had caused Jet and Droy to grumble and whine, it would have been a perfect mission.

Watching them was sweet, she was so happy for her female best friend but she couldn't help but feel sad, she missed her team like crazy. She missed Erza bossing them around, she missed Grey and Natsu's squabbles and she missed Happy's teasing. She especially missed Natsu, she had forgotten a book to read on the train and without Natsu's head in her lap and her fingers twining themselves in his thick, spiky hair, she had no idea what to do with her hands. She had to call Plue to hold just to keep her occupied.

The rest of Shadow Gear headed to the guild for a celebratory drink but Lucy decided to head home.

She stopped at the market to get some food with the jewels she'd earned, buying her favorite strawberry yogurt, fish for happy and even some chicken in case Natsu came over, so she could make him fire chicken, even though she was sure that he would probably avoid her now.

When she reached her apartment, she was surprised to find Lisanna waiting for her at her door, it was a pleasant surprise when the rest of her guildmates had the tendency to just break in.

"Here let me help you with that Lucy," Lisanna smiled grabbing one of the large brown paper grocery bags from her arms

"Thank you," Lucy smiled, using her now free arm to grab her apartment key and unlock the door. She led Lisanna inside, setting their bags down on the counter. Lisanna took a seat at her dining table as Lucy put her groceries away and made tea for them, the youngest Strauss asking about her mission and how it was working with Shadow Gear and gossiping about Gajeel and Levy.

Finally, the tea kettle whistled and Lucy set the tea down for them. Lucy had only taken one sip when Lisanna paused her pleasant banter.

"So Natsu and I broke up."

"What? He doesn't realize what he's doing, I'm sure if you explain it to him, he'll change his mind!" Lucy set down her cup, quick to explain, she couldn't let her best friends miss out on a chance of happiness, even if it was with someone else and not her.

Lisanna laughed, "It's okay! He didn't break up with me! I broke up with him! I just realized we are better as friends than lovers."

"I hope how he acted on our last mission didn't make you change your mind about him, he doesn't know what he's doing, it's all my fault! I just always let him so that stuff before and it's my fault for not setting boundaries before." Lucy frowned, hoping to convey just how guilty she felt.

"With all due respect, you're wrong, Natsu knows what he's doing, he's not stupid, I just- hmm how do I explain this without sounding like a terrible person?" Lisanna pouted, "In Edolas, the Lucy and Natsu of that world were together and since things are kind of the opposite there, I figured you weren't together in this world but when we first got back everyone in the guild swore up and down that you two were together but right before I asked Natsu out, I overheard him telling my sis that you were out on a date with a guy you meet at the bookstore. So when I realized you weren't dating, I asked him out. But now I think I get it."

Lucy shocked could only whisper, "Get what?"

"You two would be together, Mavis, you practically were already together, you just were worried about putting that label on it because you didn't want to jeopardize your friendship"

Lucy blushed and Lisanna smiled, "Lucy, I want to apologize for my selfishness hurting you and Natsu. I have a favor to ask though, can you please confess to Natsu? He's been miserablesince you left."

Lucy nodded, "But Lisanna what about you? I don't want you to be sad."

"Don't worry about me! Bickslow asked me to go on a date with him tonight!" Lisanna laughed, "I told him he has to leave his babies at home though."

They kept chatting for awhile and when Lisanna left, Lucy left not long after her, heading out to find Natsu.

/

Natsu moped in his hammock, staring out his dingy window. His little cottage was so lonely, Lucy was gone and Happy was off with Charle. The guild was full of judgmental states and gossipy whispers right now after he and Lisanna's break up and Lucy taking a mission with Shadow Gear. Everyone knew he had screwed up somehow and Natsu was to depressed to even pick a fight with anyone.

Natsu was jarred from his thoughts when Lucy's intoxicating scent hit his nose, a moment later a knock on his door followed. He was dying to see her but the thought of another rejection from her killed him, he almost didn't want to open the door.

"Natsu, please open the door! Happy says you were home. My hands are burning! Please!" Lucy called from the other side.

Natsu was confused why her hands were burning but the thought of her in pain made him sick so before he knew it, he was throwing open his front door.

And there he saw Lucy smiling before him, her long hair in her side ponytail, in her one sleeved outfit that was so reminiscent of his own usual outfit. In her hands she held a large pan with a fire chicken ablaze in it.

Lucy blushed, her head down, she looked up at him through her eyelashes, "In hindsight, I shouldn't have set it on fire until after you let me in."

Natsu laughed, grabbing the pan from her he led her in, setting the hot pan on his old coffee table, already covered in a ton of scorch marks. Gesturing for her to sit on the couch, when she complied, he grabbed her hands and examined them. A bit red and swollen, she only suffered minor first degree burns. He unconsciously blew on her hands and he felt her whole body shiver in reaction.

"Natsu, you should eat it before its charred black," Lucy ordered in breathless voice.

"Whatever you say, Luce," Natsu shrugged, digging into his chicken.

He quickly devoured it and looked up at his best friend, he was waiting for things to be awkward but they just felt right, they started at each other for a silent minute before they both burst out laughing.

"So what's with the surprise lunch, Luce?" Natsu asked, scoring closer to her on the couch, "How was your mission? Bolt breath didn't give you trouble did he?

Lucy blushed, "W-well my mission went good, Gajeel was just fine, Levy kept him in line but well uh I missed you a lot."

Natsu quirked an eyebrow at the stuttering blonde before him, she was usually so confident, "What's going on Luce? Why're you bein' so weird?"

Lucy broke out of her nervous spell and glared at him, she crossed her arms, "I was going to confess my love to you before you decided to be a jerk."

Natsu's heart swelled with joy, "So you heard about my break up then?"

"Yeah, Lisanna explained the whole thing to me, she basically said it was like you and I had already been together we just didn't know it and I wanted to go back to how we were you know? Except make it real this time…" Lucy logged at him, waiting for his answer.

Natsu pounced on her, pushing her into the couch, he caged her in his arms, "Luce, I love you too, be my girlfriend."

Lucy grinned.

"Aye, sir!" Lucy mimicked Happy.

Natsu couldn't help but smile back before kissing her senseless.

THE END

/

Please Review! If I get good feedback I'll have the courage to post my other NaLu stories.


End file.
